ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTHROPOS: MAN + LOGOS: WORD,
STUDY
The study of man from a biblical perspective is the
analysis of what God has revealed about man’s origin
and make-up
Origin of man1
Atheistic, humanistic or natural evolution
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Variation depends on offspring being superior to
parents
Struggle for survival eliminates weaker, less fit
Natural selection is the process of survival of fittest
Through heredity better qualities from natural
selection are passed on and accumulated
New species come into existence with passage of
time
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Origin of man2
Theistic evolution
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God supervised the evolutionary process
Problems with view from a biblical perspective
If Adam is not a historical person, then the analogy between
Christ and Adam is imagination (Rom 5:12-21)
 Genesis must be poetical or mythical
 Concept of man coming from non-living matter is
irreconcilable with revelation of image of God
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Origin of man
Progressive evolution (Day-Age Theory)
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Based on Psa 90:40 and 2 Peter 3:8
Definition
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Problems
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Each day is an age of indefinite time
Plants can’t be ages before animals since some depend upon
animals for pollination and fertilization
Attempts to reconcile science and Bible
Since ages can’t follow days of creation (plants before sun)
don’t take Gen 1 too literally
 Demands death before Adam’s fall
 Destroys analogy between 6 days work and 1 day rest in Ex
20:10-11
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Origin of man4
Gap Theory (between Gen 1:1 and 1:2
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Teaching concepts:
Original creation (emphasis on “repopulate”)
 Destroyed because of Lucifer’s rebellion
 Earth “became” chaotic: “without form and void”
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Problems:
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Grammatical problems
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V. 1 is an independent clause; v. 2 is connected grammatically and contains
3 circumstantial clauses describing v. 1 without a break
“Formless and void” is not always a result of judgment (Job 26:7; Isa 45:18)
The supposed distinction between bara`, “create” and asa`, “made” is
invalid. They are used interchangeably.
Theory is not based on exegesis but attempt to reconcile science
and Bible by twisting Scripture unnecessarily
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Origin of man5
Literal 24-hour-per-day Creation sequence
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Fiat creation as described in Gen 1
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God created matter and man directly
God created male and female genders
God created in 24-hour days
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Hold to a “young” earth
Appearance of age explained by flood geology
Hebrew word yom with a number is always 24 hour day
Phrase “morning and evening” imply 24-hour period
Ex 20:9-11 only has meaning if 24-hour days
God created man as a unique being, not an improved
animal: has moral sensibility and accountability, and is a
created eternal being
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Material part of Man
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Distinction is made between body and nonmaterial
part of man (soul/spirit) (2 Co 5:1; 2 Th 5:23;
Gen 2:7)
Play on words in 2:7– adam, “man” and adamah,
“ground”.
 To
remind man of his origin: both have same
constitution chemically: calcium, iron, potassium
 At death, body returns to its origin (Gen 3:7; Ps
104:27)
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Views of purpose of man’s body
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Prison house of the soul: Greek philosophy– soul is good
and body is bad
Body is only important part of man – Hedonism: seek to
please body by what one enjoys doing. Denies existence
of soul.
Body is a partner of the soul. Is the means of glorifying
God as temple of God (1 Co 6:19).
Not to be mastered by body in self-indulgence, nor is an enemy
to be self-punished
 Is to be presented to God for His purposes (Ro 12:1) so Christ
can be glorified (evident) in our bodies (Phil 1:20)
 Final evaluation concerns what was done in the body (2 Co 5:10)
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Non-material part of man
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Created as a PERSONALITY: self- consciousness and selfdetermination. Not governed by natural instinct as
animals
Created as a SPIRITUAL BEING: ability to reason, to
sense right and wrong, to relate and to choose destiny.
Our likeness to God permits a relationship
Created with a MORAL NATURE: righteous and holiness
which enabled a relationship with God, but was lost in
the Fall. Later was restored in Christ (Eph 4:24; Col
3:10)
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Origin of non-material part of man
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Theory of preexistence: taught in Hinduism and Greek
philosophy– formerly angelic beings who embodies
human forms
Creation theory: each individual is a created soul at
conception and body alone is propagated by parents.
Would require every individual to fall into sin as God
creates perfect
Traducian theory: Soul and body propagated by
parents: How can a physical relationship transmit a soul?
Christ would have participated in nature of Mary (this
obligated doctrine of Immaculate conception)
Explains the transmission of sinful nature
 Explains hereditary factor: intellect, personality and emotional
similarity to parents (Ps 51:5)
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Composition of non-material part
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Dichotomous view:
Two-part being: body and soul
 Soul and spirit are same substance w/ different functions
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Man became a living soul (Gen 2:7)
“Soul” and “spirit” used interchangeably (Gen 41:8 w/ Ps 42:6)
“Body” and “soul” constitute whole person (Matt 10:28; 1 Cor 5:3)
Trichotomous view:
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Three-part being: body, soul and spirit. Different in substance and
function
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Soul is seen as a lower power consisting of man’s imagination, memory, and
understanding
Spirit is a higher power, consisting of reason, conscience, and will
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(a) Paul seems to emphasize the three-part view in desiring the sanctification of the
entire person (1 Thess. 5:23).
(b) Hebrews 4:12 implies a distinction between soul and spirit.
(c) 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:4 suggests
classification: natural (fleshly),
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Anthropology
carnal (soulish), and spiritual (spiritual)
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Composition of
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non-material part
Multi-faceted view:
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Soul and spirit commonly describe non-material part, but
also 4 other terms are used:
 “Heart” describes intellectual (Mat 15:19) y volitional (Rom 10:9-10;
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Heb 4:7) aspect
“Conscience” for moral sense, but may be seared and unreliable (1
Tim 4:2); May be weak and overreact (1 Cor 8:7,10,12)
“Mind” is depraved (Rom 1:28), blinded by Satan (2 Cor 4:4);
darkened and futile (Eph 4:17-18); but can be renewed (Rom 12:2)
“Will” of unbeliever tends to follow desires of flesh (Eph 2:2-3), but
the believer can will to do God’s will (Rom 6:12-13)
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The Fall of Man
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Gen 3 does not describe the origin of sin, but rather the
entrance of sin into humanity
Adam and Eve were historical people who sinned in time
and space.
Historicity is essential to understand Rom 5:12-21
If Adam was not a real person who brought sin into
humanity, there is not point in Christ redeeming mankind
Christ’s own testimony confirms Adam’s historical reality
(Matt 19:3-5)
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The Test
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Obedience means nothing without a command: would
they believe God and obey?
Free to eat of all trees except Tree of knowledge of
Good and Evil (Gen 2:16-17)
Disobedience brought consequences: death, guilt, and
separation
God wanted Adam to learn of sin by revelation, not
by experience
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The Temptation
Serpent was inspired by Satan (Rom 16:20)
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Satan raised doubts about God’s Word and therefore His
character (Gen 3:1)
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Questioned God’s goodness and fairness
Eve believed his lie by exaggerating the restriction
Satan lied by saying they would not die (Gen 3:4), that is
there would be no consequences
Satan told a partial truth: they would be like God – did not
mention the pain, suffering and death that the experience of
sin would bring.
Test entailed three areas: lust of flesh, lust of the eyes and
the pride of life (1 Jn 2:16; Matt 4:1-11)
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The result of sin
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Judgment on serpent (3:14): altered in form and shape
Judgment on Satan (3:15): perpetual enmity between
seed of woman and Satan.
Judgment on woman (3:16): pain in childbirth and
“desire” to or over husband (4:7 is ident Hebrew)
Judgment on man (3:17-19): toil now necessary to
produce food and death would now begin for all
Judgment on mankind (Rom 5:12): Adam’s consequence
was passed on to mankind
Judgment on creation (Gen 3:17-18; Rom 8:17-19):
everything would resist man, wild animals and weeds
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